SynthesisBMC medical education2024
Is virtual reality enhancing dental anatomy education? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC medical education, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed.
- Digital and immersive approaches to anatomy education: a pilot comparative study of CI, VR, and hybrid learning in implant planning.BMC medical education · 2026Trial
- Development and user experience of a three-dimensional object-based virtual reality-simulation tool for dental radiography training: a randomized controlled trial.BMC medical education · 2025Trial
- Comparative Analysis of Dental Anatomy Teaching Modalities' Effect on Preclinical Operative Psychomotor Performance.Journal of dental education · 2026Article
- Design, Implementation, and Effectiveness of Virtual Reality and Digital Simulation Tools for Pediatric Dental Behavior Management Education: Systematic Review.JMIR serious games · 2026Review
- Multidimensional training in dental anatomy teaching of oral anatomy and physiology: practice and effectiveness.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Evaluating digital resources as a supplement to traditional anatomy teaching in dental education.Frontiers in dental medicine · 2026Article
- Review
- An online training platform for SPECT imaging technology utilizing three-dimensional modeling.PloS one · 2026Article
- Application of Artificial Intelligence in Education of Prosthodontics and Implant Dentistry: A Review.Advances in medical education and practice · 2026Review
- Perceptions from a Single Virtual Near-Peer Mock SBA Examination: A Retrospective Pre-Post Study Among Undergraduate Medical Students.Advances in medical education and practice · 2026Article
- Effect of a virtual reality simulator for preclinical instruction of operative dentistry on level of competence of undergraduate dental students.BMC medical education · 2025Article
- Insights Into History and Trends of Teaching and Learning in Stomatology Education: Bibliometric Analysis.JMIR medical education · 2025Article
- Use of two virtual dissection tables in a postgraduate oral anatomy course: feedback from the students.BMC medical education · 2025Article
- Exploring Virtual Reality as a Tool for Enhancing Teaching and Learning Anatomy to Medical Students: A Feasibility and Acceptability Study.The clinical teacher · 2025Article
- Exploring the frontier of dental education: a cross-sectional study of VR simulation and manikin-based training at Ziauddin university.BMC medical education · 2025Article
- Innovative learning in dental education: integrating narrative and 3D industrial design for teaching caries health disease processes.BMC oral health · 2025Article
- High-fidelity 3D models of human cadavers and their organs with the use of handheld scanner-Alternative method in medical education and clinical practice.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundTraditional dental anatomy education, reliant on cadaver dissections and lectures, faces challenges such as high costs, ethical concerns, and difficulty conveying complex 3D dental structures. Virtual reality (VR) offers a solution by providing immersive, interactive learning environments that can enhance students' understanding. This study systematically reviews the effectiveness of VR in dental anatomy education compared to traditional methods, focusing on its potential to improve learning outcomes.
methodsA comprehensive search was conducted across Web of Science (WoS), PubMed, and Scopus databases until May 2024. Data were extracted, summarized, and analyzed for qualitative synthesis. The following keywords and their combinations were used: " dental OR dentistry", "education OR teaching", "virtual AND reality OR VR", and "anatomy OR dental AND anatomy". Studies were included if they met the following criteria: Investigated the use of VR in anatomy education. Compared VR-based learning to other methods such as lecture-based teaching, 3D printed or natural models, or non-interactive 3D models. Quantitative synthesis was performed using standardized mean differences (SMD) with Hedges'd and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
resultsOut of 178 records screened, seven studies were included in the meta-analysis and eight in the personal evaluation analysis. The analysis indicates a moderately positive effect of VR on dental anatomy education (SMD = 0.74, p = 0.05) compared to lecture-based education using X-ray, CBCT, or 3D models. However, at the same time, VR falls short compared to clinical experience, training with physical teeth, or quality printed models. Studies reported rare cases of discomfort, disorientation, diplopic image, and VR sickness.
conclusionsThe use of VR-based learning moderately positively affects educational outcomes, and enhances knowledge retention, especially before clinical experience. The personal evaluation of students showed a strong interest in VR, with positive feedback on its ease of use, accuracy, and educational value.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.